World Vegetarian Week (WVW)
October 1-7, 2009
The World Vegetarian Week (WVW) will take place on October 1-7, 2009 in many countries and is supported by vegetarians, animal rights, environmental and other groups, to reduce the environmental, medical and many other problems associated with meat, milk and other animal products.
This year, John Robbins has accepted the challenge to help promoting the World Vegetarian Week, that will take place in several countries worldwide, next October 01 to 07, and also invites you to take a stand.
Son of the founder of the Baskin & Robbins ice cream empire, John Robbins gave up that empire to focus on his writings and promoting a healthy and conscious lifestyle.
Author of best-sellers like “The Food Revolution”, “Diet for a new America” and “Healthy at 100”, John Robbins is also a brilliant speaker, having been keynote speaker at many conferences in several countries. More about John Robbins at: www.foodrevolution.org
This period was chosen because it includes several annual related celebrations,” stated WVW organizer, Mateus Mendes. “These include: World Vegetarian Day on October 1st, World Farm Animal Day and International Day on Non-violence on October 2nd and World Animal Day on October 4th.”
The goal of this initiative is to highlight for everyone an easy way to better personal and environmental health. Vegetarianism is a choice being made by an increasing number of people due to its comprehensive advantages.
“Nothing human beings can do would benefit the environment more than a dramatic reduction in meat consumption. The impact of such a change on the gases in the atmosphere would be phenomenal, and would be a huge step in reducing the ominous threat of global warming,” states world-famous author John Robbins, patron of this WVW.
Director of Veg Climate Alliance Dr. Richard Schwartz says that a vegetarian week is more important than ever as “it is increasingly apparent that the world is rapidly approaching an unprecedented catastrophe from climate change and other environmental threats.”
“A 2006 UN report indicated that animal-based agriculture emits more greenhouse gases (in CO2 equivalents) than all the cars and other means of transportation worldwide combined (18% vs. 13.5%),” stated Jens Holm, former member of the European Parliament.
According to Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, “the 18% figure is an underestimate; it’s a low estimate and in actual fact it’s much higher.” According to Dr. Colin Campbell, professor emeritus of nutritional sciences at Cornell University, “new figures now indicate that at least half of the greenhouse gases… and maybe considerably more are due to livestock production.”
“There would be many other benefits from a major shift to non-animal diets,” stated medical doctor António Paiva, “including a reduction of heart disease, several types of cancer, diabetes and other chronic and degenerative diseases as well as swine flu and other infectious diseases that very likely originate in animal farming and the meat industry.”
There’s a lot to get involved with on WVW: vegetarian talks, workshops, panel discussions and video viewings; meetings with society leaders, educators and others; organising campaigns such as calling for a meat free day per week; preparing vegetarian meals for friends and family; offering vegetarian gifts or discounts for vegetarian products; or simply distributing leaflets.
For more information about WVW and getting involved visit:
This Press Release is endorsed by:
- John Robbins, author and patron of the WVW – www.foodrevolution.org
- Foundation Brigitte Bardot – www.fondationbrigittebardot.fr
- World Vegetarian Week – www.vegetarianweek.org
- Veg Climate Alliance – www.vegclimatealliance.org
- Agire Ora Network, Italy – www.agireora.org
- Centro Vegetariano, Portugal – www.centrovegetariano.org
- Compassionate Action for Animals, USA – www.ExploreVeg.org
- Concern for Helping Animals in Israel, Israel – www.chai-online.org
- Dansk Vegetarforening, Denmark – www.vegetarforening.dk
- Eco-Eating, USA – www.brook.com/veg
- European Vegetarian Union (EVU) – www.euroveg.eu
- EVA – Ethical Vegetarian Alternative, Belgium – www.vegetarisme.be
- EVANA – European Vegetarian and Animal News Alliance – www.evana.org
- FARM (Farm Animal Rights Movement), USA – www.farmusa.org
- Global Meat Free Petition – www.MeatFreePetition.com
- God’s Creatures Ministry, USA – www.godscreaturesministry.org
- Green Lifestyle Film Festival, USA – www.greenlifestylefilmfestival.com
- IIG Glücklich leben ohne Fleisch – www.fleischverbot.info
- Indian Vegan Society, India – www.indianvegansociety.com
- Jews for Animal Rights (JAR), USA – www.micahbooks.com
- Jewish Vegetarians of North America, USA – www.jewishveg.com
- Leilani Farm Sanctuary, USA – www.leilanifarmsanctuary.org
- Oriente no Porto – Alternativa Multicultural, Portugal
- Pro-iure-animalis, Germany – www.pro-iure-animalis.de
- Romanian Vegetarian Society, Romania – www.svr.ro
- San Francisco Vegetarian Society, USA – www.sfvs.org
- Schweizerische Vereinigung für Vegetarismus, Switzerland – www.vegetarismus.ch
- SVB – Sociedade Vegetariana Brasileira, Brazil – www.svb.org.br
- Society of Ethical and Religious Vegetarians, USA – www.serv-online.org
- The Vegetarian Mitzvah, USA – www.brook.com/jveg
- Tierschutznews, Switzerland – www.tierschutznews.ch
- Toronto Vegetarian Association, Canada – www.veg.ca
- UVE – Unión Vegetariana Española, Spain – www.unionvegetariana.org
- Vege.to, Italy – www.vege.to
- VegDining – www.vegdining.com
- VEGAN 2050 – www.vegan2050.org
- Vegetarian Society of Hawaii, Hawaii – www.vsh.org
- Well-Fed World, USA – www.wellfedworld.org
- Winnipeg Vegetarian Association, Canada – www.ivu.org
Source: www.vegetarianweek.org – Press release: September 6, 2009
Category: Events
